Wow, talk about incredible attention to detail
[very minor spoiler warning]
http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrim/comments/mh5hz/so_i_used_to_give_some_gold_to_a_beggar_in/I used to give gold to a fella named Brenuin in Whiterun, he'd thank me and I would run off. On this faithful day however, I was levelling up my Illusion skill and casted 'Fury' on Brenuin (which makes the target attack everyone in sight), without realizing who it was. He rolled up to the nearest guard and started beating him, a few seconds later Brenuin was slashed to death by the guards, and had two arrows stuck in his chest and face. At the time, I thought it was funny.
Until about one ingame-day later. A courier ran up to me and said he had a a letter and some gold for me, I was confused, and proceeded to read the letter. It was a Letter of Inheritence which came with 90 gold coins. It turns out Brenuin didn't forget about me, and left me all that he owned. I'll be honest, that must have been the first time I felt true remorse over a game character's death, and he wasn't even a major character.
